Betrayal is Sometimes a Good Thing
by danzerusa
Summary: "I do have ways of getting rid of things, or in this case people, that irritate me." She told him. She enjoyed seeing his eyes widen slightly in fear. She let him think the worst about her for a couple of seconds before adding. "Oh don't worry, you'll still be alive. Although you might wish you weren't."
1. Chapter 1

*Disclaimer* I do not own the wonderful world of the Labyrinth or any of its inhabitants. I do however own the idea for this story.

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"Hello?"

"Hello, is David there?"

"He can't come to the phone right now, can I take a message?"

*sigh* "I guess. Tell him that Veronica called and that I can't wait to see him again tonight."

"And you're sure you have the right number?"

"Of course I'm sure! I've been calling David for the past 3 months, why would I suddenly not remember the number of my fiancé?"

"Your fiancé?"

"Ugh! Just tell him I'll be waiting for him at the Hotel he reserved for us at 7. Can you do that little girl?"

_Little gir… oooooh that condescending little… _ "Oh you have my personal guarantee that David will get this message loud and clear."

*click*

"Well goodbye to you too… you jerk."

Sarah closed her "former" fiancé's cell phone and carelessly tossed it onto the coffee table.

"What was that noise babe?" David called while coming out of the bathroom of their apartment.

"Oh it was nothing, just the signal for you to start packing." Sarah calmly replied while sitting on the sofa thumbing through the newest edition of Cosmo.

"Oh ok….wait what?" David asked.

Sarah dog-eared the page she was on before slowly closing the magazine and setting it beside her.

"I said it's time for you to start packing."

David stood there looking at Sarah dumbfounded.

"Why would I need to start packing Sarah?"

Sarah stood up gracefully before looking David in the eye with a cold, cruel stare that caused him to shiver.

"I would have thought it obvious David" Sarah calmly responded.

At his continued feigned innocent expression she continued.

"You could not have forgotten about your hot rendezvous with Victoria…"

"Veronica" David corrected without thinking. "Um, I mean…"

"I don't care what her name is." Sarah interrupted while still remaining eerily calm. "The only thing that I am concerned about at the moment is your continued presence in my apartment."

"Babe, you're getting riled up over nothing, Veronica is nothing but a friend. I'm just going to help her remove…"

"Her clothing?" Sarah finished for him.

"No I was going to say her broken TV." David tried to lie.

Sarah's hazel eyes seemed to flash emerald for a second before she suddenly folded her arms across her chest and smirked.

"I do have ways of getting rid of things, or in this case people, that irritate me." She told him. She enjoyed seeing his eyes widen slightly in fear. She let him think the worst about her for a couple of seconds before adding.

"Oh don't worry, you'll still be alive. Although you might _wish _you weren't." Sarah said while slightly chuckling at her choice of words.

"Ok this isn't funny anymore Sarah, time to cut the crap." David ordered. He was desperately trying to regain his composure while appearing stern.

When Sarah tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at his outburst he lost it.

"Fine I'll admit that I've been seeing another woman. I'm a man Sarah, and I have needs that you weren't willing to meet. I'll stop seeing Veronica if you would just get over yourself and…"

"Put out?" Sarah asked with mock sweetness. "I have been patient with you David. I have already asked you to leave twice; I will not ask a third time."

"Now you listen here you prude little tease! I will not be ordered around by the likes of you. I am the one in charge in this relationship and I will do what I want with whoever I want! You will just have to get used to it and…"

"I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now!" Sarah's voice raised above the screaming man's filled with power.

Then silence.

Sarah sighed, and ran a hand through her silky black hair.

'_Well there goes another jerk.' _Was the last thing she thought before going to bed.

It had been ten years since her trip through the labyrinth. Ten long years filled with guys who took up her time and tried to get into her pants. Every single one of those "men" cheated on her with another. The sad thing was that Sarah really didn't care. She had come to terms with the fact that none of them truly cared about her. She didn't think anyone could. It wasn't because of a lack of beauty. She wasn't vain, but she knew she was attractive. Her long black hair shimmered like the star strewn sky and was never out of place. She had a clear, fair complexion that would be envied by any porcelain doll. Her figure drove men crazy and women insane with jealousy. Her hazel eyes; what she thought of as her best feature; were bright and slightly cat like in appearance. She was a strong willed and stubborn woman, and apparently those were traits that men did not find attractive.

She was self-sufficient by the tender age of 16 after her first book was published. When the first check came that's when her stepmother Karen brought out the first of the moving boxes. It came as no surprise to Sarah that her father didn't put up any kind of argument on her behalf. She knew he wanted to keep the peace between himself and his wife. Sarah also knew that her presence in the house caused her father pain. She was the reminder of a failed marriage. That was one thing her father prided himself in, he never failed at anything.

Sarah would have fought to stay for Toby's sake, but after their return from the underground Toby acted differently. Every time she would come near the child he would scream like she was a stranger. At first Sarah thought he was traumatized from his experience. As time went on though she noticed he only acted that way around her. When she realized it was her that was causing her baby brother such distress she cried until she couldn't make another tear. In fact, now that she thought about it she hasn't been able to shed a tear since.

She packed the few items that were considered "hers" and found a modest apartment near her school and her favorite park. She was relieved her vanity mirror was one of the things Karen insisted she take with her. Apparently it used to belong to her maternal grandmother, so it was naturally something her stepmother wanted nothing to do with.

As soon as Sarah was settled into her new "home" she called on her friends.

"Hoggle I need you."

After a few seconds his rough and wrinkled face could be seen in her mirror. He looked around and after noticing the change in her surroundings his gruff voice came booming from behind her.

"Now whus al this abut? This ain't yur room Sarah. Yous ain't in trubl again are yas?"

Sarah smiled and after relaying to her friend what happened he calmed down. Hoggle seemed to be particularly interested in her report of Toby's behavior towards her.

"It sems the lad don' like the magics yous gots about yas." Hoggle told her while rubbing his chin with a gnarled hand.

"Magic? There is magic on me? How did that happen? When did that happen?" Sarah was firing the questions at Hoggle faster than the poor dwarf could answer.

"Hold on now misy an let me tak." Hoggle interrupted.

Sarah nodded for her friend to continue.

"Nows I hafta tell ya that yous wer the firs one ta ever reach da center of da labyrinth. Now do ya rember whut I told ya when ya firs wens in?" Hoggle asked Sarah with a serious expression.

"You said that once I make it to the center I'll never get out again, but Hoggle I did get out. I said the words that took me home." Sarah explained.

"Naw yous mighta said the words but thas not whut gots yous home. Da King sentya back. Yous didn get outs on yur own. Since tha happens yous changed. Yous came bac wif somthan extra. Somthan magic." Hoggle told her.

"I'd be beten tha babe can sens somthan unnatural on yas and after havin his memorys wiped cleen it probly scares im. He don sees ya as his sistr no mors. Yous now the thin tha the mas be warning the litle ones about. The one wif the power." Hoggle informed her.

Sarah didn't know what to think about all of this. She never got out of the labyrinth on her own so now she isn't normal. Now she frightens her little brother. Now she has some kind of magic. Now she's what Hoggle called the one with the power.

The only other being she ever encountered that had any kind of magic or power was the Goblin King. She figured he wasn't human. No one that beautiful could be. When she returned from the labyrinth she researched anything she could about magical beings. The only creatures that fit his description were the fae. They were conceived by magic and delivered through a willing human vessel. They retained their surrogates human form, but are able to shift to another form of their choosing. This secondary form becomes a natural extention of themselves, it shows others what their dominate personality, traits, and behavior are. It made sense to Sarah that Jareth's form was an owl. He always seemed like a cunning and agile predator.

This line of thinking made her start to wonder if she would still be considered human, she had to find out.

"Hoggle, am I still human?" Sarah finally asked.


	2. Chapter 2

*Disclaimer* I do not own the wonderful world of the Labyrinth or any of its inhabitants. I do however own the idea for this story.

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Hoggle thought about how to answer Sarah's question.

He sighed then took off his small cap and rubbed the bald spot beneath it.

"Wel I thinks yur less human than ya weres befor comin to tha underground, but yur mor human than the others tha stay ther." Hoggle nervously answered.

"Hoggle I know how the fae, like the King, are born and I know I wasn't made that way so I know I'm more human than them, but your telling me I'm less human than anyone aboveground?" Sarah tried to clarify.

Hoggle looked down to his feet and kicked at invisible dirt on her floor when he responded.

"Naw yur mor like tha rat than yous might think."

He looked up at Sarah's expentant face and decided to continue.

"I'm tryin ta say yur only a litle les than a ful fae. But tha good news is yur nuthin like tha goblins."

"Why would I be like the goblins? Aren't they just born there like that or changed like that from being wished away?" Sarah asked.

"Naw tha rat don change the kids. Its tru tha som of tha goblins are born ther like tha, but the firs ones tha wer ther wer changed from humans."

At Sarah's questioning look he continued.

"Sarah, whut did ya think happened ta tha wishers tha ran the labyrinth but didn win? They didn go home. They wer tha ones changed ta the goblins."

"No that can't be right, he told me that Toby would become one of you forever if I didn't make it to the castle in time. He said Toby not me." Sarah argued.

"I don call him a rat fur nufin Sarah. He sends tha kids home, theys bein tha innocent ones. The wishers thou if they don take the dreams and fail they become the goblins." Hoggle told her matter of factly.

"I don't know if I can believe that Hoggle. Why would he outright lie? I thought the fae weren't supposed to lie."

"Whut better way ta git tha humans ta belive anythan they say than ta start out wif a lie. Ya they has lots of rules but lying ain't one of them." Hoggle said with a small grin. "Ya hav ta admit its purty smart ta git everybody belivin ya can't lie." Hoggle then smacked his knee and started to chuckle.

Sarah smiled at the mirth her best friend was showing, even if it was at her expense. She had to give it to them though, that was pretty ingenious to make the human population believe that as a magical race you were forbidden to lie. Now that she thought about it more it did seem ridiculous that there would be such a law, and to be able to enforce it on beings made of magic? Sarah shook her head '_I can't believe I fell for it'_ she chastised herself. She had always hoped that the Goblin King was incapable of such deceit. '_Well live and learn' _she thought.

"Ther is one thing they can't lie about" Hoggle stated a little timidly, "Tha fae can't lie about things concernin tha heart."

"The heart? You're talking about their feelings, like love and hate?" Sarah asked for clarification.

Hoggle nodded.

"Oh" was the only thing that would come out of Sarah's mouth. She immediately thought of their final encounter and his confusing plea of "fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." Could he have really meant that? If what Hoggle said was true and by going how earnest Jareth was looking at her while saying those words she had little doubt that he really did mean it.

Hoggle saw the distant look in Sarah's eyes and decided it was time to go. He patted her shoulder as she sat as still as a statue on her vanity stool, and left.

He knew he would have to give his king a full report of the visit. He just hoped the rat would be in a good, unbogging mood.

It was a good 10 minutes before Sarah realized Hoggle had left. She finally stood up from her vanity and went straight to bed. She had a lot of information presented to her and had a lot to think about.

...

Sarah woke up and looked around her apartment. David's things were still everywhere. Of course she didn't expect them to disappear just because their loser of an owner did.

Over the years Sarah had figured out what magic she did possess. She remembered Jareth's form of magic was dreams and utilizing a lot of distraction to get what he wanted. Sarah's magic however came in the power of words. She found that she didn't have to use the words "I wish" to get what she wanted. Oh no those words were reserved for the cheaters that deserved to go to the underground.

The first time she wished away a two-timing boyfriend she remembered Hoggle's words about the wishers being the ones to be changed. She knew she could complete the labyrinth again, but she really didn't want to. She didn't want to take the dreams she would be offered though either. She didn't think she would be ready for the only dream she had any more to come true. Not yet anyway. That dream she felt would be more precious to her if she made it happen on her own, her dream of a happily ever after with a certain light haired fae King.

After the cheater was gone Jareth didn't appear. Instead a round crystal rolled across her living room and bumped her foot. When she picked it up it turned into a scroll. Upon opening the scroll she beheld the most beautiful flowing script she had ever seen. It read:

_My dear champion,_

_I regret to inform you that wishing away anything other than a child will not give you the chance of obtaining your dreams. I sincerely hope the unremarkable mortal sitting in my dungeon was not sent here by accident. If it was purposely done I applaud your decision. He is one of the most unsavory life forms I have met in my many years of dealing with you mortals. It is my greatest pleasure to inform you that after he slandered your name the goblins defended your honor. He is currently waiting for me to finish writing this missive to you before meeting his fate of becoming a goblin and the newest resident of the Bog. I do not believe you would want to save this individual so an offer to run my Labyrinth will not be given. I would however like to extend the offer for you to send any other miscreants that are of this one's caliber to my kingdom without fear of repercussion. I do have a large Bog that needs tending to and I find men like this one are perfect for the task. I would like to say, however, that I do sincerely wish that you will not find yourself in the company of another of his ilk. Doing so would cause me no small amount of distress. You are too precious to be involved with such animals._

_Jareth, King of the Goblins._

_One more thing Sarah, if you have need to discard of any belongings of the before mentioned cretin you have but to call upon one of my goblins and they will get the task done. _

Sarah smiled every time she thought of the letter. It had been the last time she had heard from Jareth. Of course she hadn't called to him. She still didn't think she was ready for that. She really didn't intend to get involved with another creep. It just so happened that they found her, and if she was telling the truth she was lonely. The only person she ever communicated with, in the aboveground that is, was the head of the publishing company whenever a deadline was fast approaching. She was feeling starved for attention and voiced out loud that she wanted to meet someone that she could talk to and spend time with. That was when her second boyfriend literally ran into her. It was then she made the connection that her power was in her words. She thought it was a bit ironic given her profession.

Fast forwarding through her memories of the jerks she allowed herself to date she cursed herself for her selfishness. Jareth had told her it would cause him grief if she was involved with another scoundrel, and she had sent away at least 7 more in the last 10 years.

She called for a goblin to take David's belongings away and decided to finally send word to Jareth.


	3. Chapter 3

*Disclaimer* I do not own the wonderful world of the Labyrinth or any of its inhabitants. I do however own the idea for this story.

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Dear Jareth,

Please forgive me for my stubbornness these past 10 long years. You know my strong will doesn't always serve me well. I would like to apologize for the unfortunate increase of the Bogs resident goblins. I would like you to know I did not actively seek out the lowest of the male species to keep me company. It seems like I am a magnet for the uncouth. I feel the deepest regret that I have caused you any pain, it was not intentionally done. If I had the power to reorder time I would go back and change the words that fell from my lips that caused you the most pain. I would like you to know that I was an insensitive and spoiled brat when I traversed through your beautiful kingdom. It was the first time I was forced to hold myself accountable for my own mistake. I tried to blame you for taking Toby, and that was unjustifiable. I would like to apologize for forcing you into the role of the villain. You played your part wonderfully, while I was lacking in my role as the heroine. If I was truly the victor I would not have felt so guilty for the way I treated you. A lot has happened these past years. I am not sure how much you know or how much Hoggle has told you. If he has kept information from you it is not his fault. He is one of my dearest friends and I believe I am his only one. He may act like a coward but he is a fiercely protective friend and would not have told you anything if he thought it was betraying my trust in him. I am no longer in contact with my family; not by my choice, but I hold them no ill will. I have found the power that is to be had in words. I am a writer and it is a career that has served me well, but that is not the power I speak of. It has come to my attention, I will not say how long ago, that I was allowed to go home and did not win that particular right. By doing so I had unintentionally acquired magic from the underground. It wasn't until after sending that first lowlife to your kingdom that I voiced my feelings of loneliness. It was then that the second degenerate came into my life. I realized that the magic that I was gifted with was utilized by my words. I find it ironic that the greatest ability I have comes in the form that I usually have the hardest time controlling; my words. I don't think I have to remind you of my quick temper or even quicker tongue. Needless to say I have found a measure of control in what I voice aloud. I would like to think I have become a better person and writer because of this forced censorship I have had to place on my mouth. I shudder to think what disaster I could have caused if I had allowed my sharp tongue loose on any unsuspecting human. Yes, you read that last word right I said human. It has also come to my attention that I am less human than those that surround me aboveground. I do not hold you responsible for the change that has happened to me from my journey to the underground. I actually find it exciting, though the physical changes have caused more unwanted attention from the unsavory males in the city. I could continue to write this letter until it has become one of my lengthy novels, but I do not wish to bore you.

If you deem it acceptable I would like to continue this conversation in person. I feel badly that I have waited so long to contact you. I do fear you, though not in the common sense of the word. I fear that I have caused an irreparable rift in any type of relationship we do or might have had. I never intended any type of distress to befall you and feel horribly that the company I have kept might have caused you to feel any. It might please you to know that I have decided to swear off men here. I have not had a reason to give them another chance, as your Bog can attest to.

I hope this letter finds you well,

Sarah

.

Sarah carefully folded the lengthy letter and addressed it to the Goblin King. She called for a goblin and instructed it to deliver the really important clean paper to the Kingy so the Lady would not be sad.

She had found that the goblins would do anything for her if it would keep her from being sad. She was comforted with the knowledge that her letter would be delivered intact.

Sarah reorganized her apartment. She felt so much better after writing Jareth that letter. She didn't know if he would give any real thought to her words, but she knew it was long overdue.

She decided to take a break from moving her furniture and get something to drink. When she opened the refrigerator she found a smooth round crystal sitting on the top shelf. She picked it up and only had a second to register the cold surface when it changed into another scroll.

She was a little disappointed that she only received a written response to her letter. She let her shoulders sag slightly before unrolling it. It contained only one sentence written in the same flowing script.

_._

_Say your right words Sarah._

.

Sarah sharply inhaled. He wanted to see her! She let a smile break across her lips. Now what words did she want to use.

She could wish herself to the underground, but what if he didn't want her to stay?

She could call for him to visit her aboveground, but what if he decided she wasn't worth the trouble and didn't show?

Over the next 20 minutes Sarah ran through multiple scenarios and they always had unfavorable outcomes. She walked to the shelf in her bedroom and picked up her goblin king figurine. She ran her finger over his unruly hair and the soft scowl on his thin lips. Suddenly the "right words" came to her in a rush. She was overwhelmed by the power those words would hold and almost dropped the figurine. In a rush she changed her clothes and stood in the middle of her living room. She took a deep breath and prepared to say her "right" words.


	4. Chapter 4

*Disclaimer* I do not own the wonderful world of the Labyrinth or any of its inhabitants. I do however own the idea for this story.

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"I wish to go back to the Castle beyond the Goblin City to the exact moment I was offered the heart of a King."

A whirlwind of color surrounded Sarah after the words fell from her lips. She was lifted into the air as the world around her blurred. Her hair whipped around her face until she was no longer able to see anything but black. Almost as quickly as it started it ended and Sarah felt her feet touch down on stone instead of her plush carpet. Before Sarah could adequately view her current environment she heard a very male accented voice making a plea for someone to stay.

"I ask for so little, just let me rule you and you can have everything you want."

.

Sarah was then startled to hear her own younger voice repeating the words that she believed would defeat the Goblin King.

"My kingdom is great… Damn I can never remember that line."

.

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."

"My kingdom is great… My kingdom is great…"

Sarah realized when and where she was. She poked her head around a piece of debris that was floating around what used to be the Escher room. She knew what the younger Sarah was going to say next.

Sarah ran towards her younger self and yelled "STOP!" while covering the now startled girls mouth with her hand.

"Don't say those last 6 words. It won't do anything but cause more suffering. You have to trust me Sarah." The older one told her younger self.

The fully grown Sarah looked at Jareth and noticed he didn't look surprised in the least to see her there. In fact he was wearing a slightly crooked smile and appeared to have an extra gleam in his eyes.

"Send her home Jareth, right now."

"As my Champion commands" He said with a small bow and with a flourish of his hand produced a different crystal. He brought the crystal to his lips and gently blew it towards the still stunned young girl.

.

In less than the blink of an eye the young girl found herself in the foyer of her house. She wasn't quite sure what had happened. Before she could dwell on it much longer she remembered Toby and rushed up the stairs to check on the baby.

.

Back in the underground Jareth found himself alone with a now quite beautifully grown up Sarah.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to make your presence known." He said while giving her a mischievous grin that showed his slightly pointed teeth.

"Well I couldn't very well allow myself to make the same mistake twice now could I?" Sarah replied saucily. "I try to make it a tendency to learn from my mistakes and keep myself from repeating them."

"Clever girl" The Goblin King teased.

"As fun as this exchange of whit is Jareth, I came here for a reason." Sarah began.

"I know very well why you are here Sarah." Jareth quipped while twisting his hand once more to produce the crystal he had offered her in that very room years ago.

.

Sarah looked at the man before her. He looked exhausted, more so than she remembered as a girl. His normally buoyant hair hung limply down his face and back. His once mesmerizing eyes hardly shimmered with life. Had her refusal of his offer really taken such a toll on him?

The man standing before her was not the Goblin King from her past, but the one from the future come back to that moment in time to meet her once again.

He looked like he was ready to fade away and the only thing keeping him there was the slightest bit of hope that she would accept him.

Sarah knew that she would not find another man that would understand her or appreciate her like Jareth did. She knew from experience that she was too much for any normal human male. She was tired of feeling like she wasn't good enough, like she was incapable of having a healthy relationship. She was tired of the jerks and the cheaters. To be quite honest she was tired of single handedly populating the new Bog village. She wanted to take the risk she was too afraid to take when she was younger. She wanted to allow herself to love the Goblin King.

Sarah reached out and lightly ran her fingertips from the inside of Jareth's wrist towards his fingers all the while watching him close his eyes and exhale deeply in relief. She carefully picked up the crystal with the pads of her fingers and brought it towards her body. She cradled the delicate orb within the palms of her hands before gently pressing it into her chest.

The moment the sphere was no longer in her hands Sarah watched in amazement as the haggard looking King regained his vitality and life shown once more from his unique eyes.

Jareth stepped towards Sarah with an outstretched hand and without hesitation she accepted it within her own.

"I will devote my life to making sure you do not regret this decision Sarah mine." Jareth told her with a voice full of sincerity.

"I don't think I ever will my King." Sarah responded with a radiant smile.

"You do realize we still have to have a very long conversation about the contents of your letter my dear." Jareth gently reminded her.

"Yes, I remember, but that can wait. After all we do have forever." She smiled cheekily at him.

Jareth grinned at the not quite so mortal woman before him. He leaned over their joined hands and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "Not long at all."

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I would like to thank you for reading this short little story that popped into my head. I was having quite the dry spell in regards to writing anything. Suddenly out of nowhere the beginning phone conversation kept repeating in my head. I finally took the hint and wrote it down. Four chapters later I ended up with this. :)

Thank you to all of you that took the time to send reviews. It really makes me feel like I am doing something worthwhile if I can make someone's day just a little brighter through my words.


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